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Taking an evening stroll alongside the beach of Scalegorge Waterscape is one of the habits he has picked up over the years.
It starts during his youth, when he was still under the tutelage of his master. She can be meticulous in her teachings, and although Jing Yuan was the one who wanted to be her disciple, sometimes it can be overwhelming. So he loved to ditch lessons from time to time, and back then the beach of Scalegorge Waterscape was a tourist attraction full of merchants, so it was a nice escape.
Then, the High Cloud Quintet happened. The beach was closed to the public due to the ongoing war, but since Dan Feng was the high elder, they can still visit to find some respite. They would do lots of things there—sometimes, they would strategize. Other times, they would spar or test Yingxing’s weaponries against Baiheng’s flying. Most of the time, however, they would just share drinks and enjoy each other's company.
Over time the beach has become the silent witness of the evolution of the Quintet’s relationship—from awkward strangers, to brothers-in-arms who are ready to lay down their life for each other, and back to awkward strangers again.
After the Sedition, the beach of Scalegorge Waterscape remains devoid of people, except for the handful of Pearlkeepers and Jing Yuan himself. It saddens him to see a place once full of laughter become so empty, but at least no one can bother him when he wants to be alone with his thoughts. Like, right now.
So many things have happened lately compared to his reign over the last several hundred years. From Phantylia, to his old friends reunion, a certain merchant’s machinations, the heliobi’s challenge, so on and so forth. While many people see him as the all-seeing, cunning, calculating general who plays 5D chess, he is but a man. A man that can get tired and overwhelmed.
Sometimes, he just wants to complain, but he doesn’t exactly have many close confidants. Thus, he takes an evening stroll alongside the beach of Scalegorge Waterscape. At the very least, the sound of waves would drown the anxiety that is slowly eating him.
Jing Yuan chuckles. Oh, woe is him, to be this old yet remained alone with no company in this vast universe.
“... Jing Yuan?”
Never in this life he turns around this fast. Behind him, Dan Heng is standing bare feet in the sand, holding a bowl of macaroni, a clear confusion on his face.
“Dan Heng? What are you doing here?”
“You called.” Dan Heng dangles the ring on his necklace, the abacus imbued with Foxian Magic that Jing Yuan gave some time ago. He looks down at his own necklace, and finds that he is holding it for dear life. Ah, he must have accidentally called Dan Heng.
Before Jing Yuan can apologize for it, Dan Heng already takes a seat beside him. This time, a thermos also materializes with him.
“You can finish your food first, my dear.” Jing Yuan says. But said person shakes his head.
“The others understand that you take priority.” Dan Heng explains. “Unless, you want to be alone?”
Jing Yuan weighs his options. On one hand, his problem seems too trivial to require Dan Heng’s company, especially since he’s resting from his trailblazing. But a small part of him wants to spend more time with his beloved.
Jing Yuan relents in the end. “If it isn’t too much trouble, can you spare a little bit of your time?”
His lover gives him a soft smile. “You can take my time as much as you want.”
Even after all this time, Jing Yuan’s heart still jumps every time Dan Heng gives a sliver of his attention to him.
“Though, I hope you don’t mind me eating. I was in the middle of a meal after all.” Dan Heng shows his half empty bowl of macaroni. “Have you eaten, Jing Yuan?”
“I have, before I came here.” Jing Yuan can’t take his eyes off Dan Heng. He looks especially adorable when he’s eating. He wants to pinch those plump cheeks, but unfortunately he can’t. “Whose turn is it to cook on the Express? This isn’t what the conductor would usually cook.”
“It’s Mr. Yang. He said he used to eat this a lot when he’s still working as an animator. I’ll bring it next time I come to visit.”
“I would love that.”
“The macaroni, or for me to visit?”
“Why choose when I can have both?”
Dan Heng rolls his eyes. “What a glutton.”
“I’ve got to live up to the name. It is one of my epithet, after all.”
Dan Heng laughs, so light and genuine and carefree, that Jing Yuan finds himself laughing as well.
They fall into silence after that. The only audible things between them are the sound of waves crashing, the caws of the seagulls, and the sound of Dan Heng’s spoon hitting his ceramic bowl. Jing Yuan closes his eyes, trying to bask in the ambience. He can feel the tangled webs in his head going away, and the weight on his shoulder getting lighter and lighter.
Jing Yuan hums. Ah, this is the most peaceful evening he has felt in a while.
He misses this. He misses him. It has been a while since the last time the Express dock at the Luofu.
“Rough day at work?”
Jing Yuan opens his eyes, stretches his body, and scoots closer towards Dan Heng.
“Yes.” Jing Yuan pauses, contemplating whether he needs to update Dan Heng about his current trouble or not. He decides to be honest about it. “The Arbiter-Generals have been summoned to the Xianzhou Yuque.”
Dan Heng tenses immediately. It is understandable. It’s rare for all the generals to be summoned at once. For it to happen means that there is something serious going on.
“Are you going to another war?”
“It remains to be seen.” Jing Yuan starts to draw randomly on the sand. “I should start from the beginning. When my master surrendered herself to us, she said that a war would be broken, and Yaoshi would be slain.”
Dan Heng raises his eyebrows.
“Of course, not all believe her. But, after a certain chain of events, it looks like her prediction is coming true. The meeting is to discuss our next steps.”
“Aeons, what’s with your old friends and their obsession to kill an Aeon?”
This time, it is Jing Yuan who raises his eyebrows.
“Blade is also hunting an Aeon?”
“More precisely, the Stellaron Hunters seek to have Nanook dead in this lifetime. The worst part is, their mission sometimes intersects with ours, no thanks to Destiny's Slave.” Dan Heng huffs. “Getting tangled with them is always troublesome. If possible, I want no part in their creed since now I have someone to go home to.”
Jing Yuan clears his throat in an attempt to calm himself. Sometimes, Dan Heng says the cheesiest things without regard to the recipient.
“Ah~ what a predicament we live in. To live in the age where Aeons drop like flies!” Jing Yuan dramatically says. “This feels like something above my pay grade, but our mission as an Arbiter-General is to eradicate Yaoshi and their abominations.”
“Should we just drop everything and elope?”
“My dear, we both know that we’ll spring into action in no time.”
“Hmm. Then, how about we look for an exorcist? Something must be wrong with us, with how much we attract problems.”
“I’m afraid we’re both just addicted to the adrenaline. I’ll have Qingzu book a therapy session for us instead.”
“Alright. Anything to spend more time with you.”
They both glance towards each other before bursting into laughter. Jing Yuan feels his chest tighten. Ah, he misses this so much.
“Are you feeling better now?” Dan Heng asks after they both calm down.
“I am, thank you.” Jing Yuan clasps his knees and buries his head on them. With a meek voice, he whispers, “I miss you terribly, Hengheng.”
Dan Heng’s eyes widened for a second before turning into a soft gaze. “I miss you too, A-Yuan.”
“I want to kiss you so bad.”
“I would like to give it to you, but I’m just a holographic projection.”
Jing Yuan stares at Dan Heng. Dan Heng gulps.
“Oh. You’re serious.”
“Uh huh.”
“Your lips will just get through.”
“The imbued Foxian Magic will take care of that.”
“The imbued Foxian Magic is for the projection to show accurate colors instead of the usual monochromatic blue.”
When Dan Heng is like this, there is only one thing left for Jing Yuan to do. He pouts and puts out his puppy eyes.
Dan Heng will relent in 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1 …
“Alright, come here you big goof.” Dan Heng sighs fondly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Jing Yuan singsongs as he moves closer towards Dan Heng.
True to what his lover said, Jing Yuan’s lips meet nothing but air. He lets his imagination run wild—he tries to recall the taste of Dan Heng lips, the way their breaths mingling with each other, the sound Dan Heng usually makes when they make out—and hopes that it’s enough to fool his senses.
Jing Yuan pulls away when Dan Heng does the same. Dan Heng hides his face with his hand. It’s clearly red from embarrassment.
“Happy?”
“Quite. But nothing beats the real thing after all.“
“Hmmm. Should I just meet you at the Yuque, then?”
Yes, please. That would be great, his inner thought says. But Dan Heng has his own journey with the Astral Express, so instead he says, “It’s alright. To talk with you like this is enough for me.”
Dan Heng stares at him. “If you say so.”
Jing Yuan forces a smile. The lack of insistence saddens him a bit, but at least he still has these stolen moments with him.
“But if the Yuque is in the Star Rail we’re charting, I can visit, right?”
Jing Yuan blinks.
“I … guess so?”
“Great. I’ve always wanted to see the abaci production factory.” Dan Heng beams with excitement. “I will ask Pom-Pom later.”
“Why not now?”
Dan Heng looks offended with his question.
“Because I’m still spending time with you.” he answers, so lowly Jing Yuan almost misses it. “Unless, you already want to go back?”
“Not really. No.” Jing Yuan shakes his head. His gaze falls onto the sand, faltering. Then he says, “Will you stay a few more minutes with me? The sunset is beautiful from here.”
Dan Heng chuckles. He tilts his head onto Jing Yuan's shoulder, so it looks like he is resting his head on there. “Anything you want, A-Yuan. I am not going anywhere.”
They fall into a comfortable silence once more. They watch as the artificial sun of the Xianzhou Luofu gets dimmer and dimmer, changing the water of Scalegorge Waterscape from golden into abyssal blue.
Jing Yuan hums in contentment, feeling at peace. He wishes this moment could stretch for eternity.